Russian, Belarussian 'neutral' athletes allowed in World Taekwondo

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
3 Apr 2023 18:05

The World Taekwondo Championship is scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from May 29 to June 4.

People walk in front of the Russian Olympic Committee building in Moscow, Nov. 13, 2015 (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

The World Taekwondo Council, confirmed on Monday, that athletes from Russia and Belarus will be permitted to participate in international taekwondo championships - only if they are "individual" and "neutral".

The Council stated: "Following deliberation, the Council decided to allow the participation of Individual Neutral Athletes and Support Personnel with Russian and Belarusian passport holders at the World Taekwondo-promoted Championships, starting from the Baku 2023 World Taekwondo Championships at the end of May."

The World Taekwondo Championship is scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from May 29 to June 4.

This comes after the International Olympic Committee suggested on March 28 the permission of athletes holding Russian or Belarussian passports to partake in international competitions as individual neutral athletes - but that came with conditions.

IOC head Thomas Bach stated: "1) Athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as individual neutral athletes. 2) Teams of athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports cannot be considered. 3) Athletes who actively support the war can not compete … 4) Athletes who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies can not compete."

However, the Head of the Ukrainian President’s office Andrie Yermak urged the President of the International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe on Sunday to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

In another win in sports, Russian and Belarusian players will be able to compete at Wimbledon this year after organizers declared Friday that they were lifting a ban imposed in 2022.

Competitors from the two countries will be allowed to enter the Grand Slam in July if they compete as "neutral" athletes and comply with "appropriate conditions."

Days after the war began in February last year, the IOC urged international sports federations to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international sports events. Most international federations abided by the recommendation, while some have allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag.